Beyond and Back

Beyond And Back is a 1978 documentary released by Sunn Classic Pictures that deals with the subject of near death experiences. This was one of the first movies to explore this subject and pose the question “Is there life after death”.

The feature film was narrated by Brad Crandall and claimed to have used actual accounts of what researchers now refer to as near-death experiences or NDE’s. Generally speaking, a patient who has experienced an NDE has clinically “died” (lost some or all vital signs) but then has been revived through the use of modern medical technology or procedures (such as CPR). Some people who have experienced an NDE have given very vivid accounts of their experiences which, in turn, has caused some in the medical field to take interest and initiate research projects into the phenomenon. For example, when Ernest Hemingway was a young soldier serving in World War I, he was badly wounded by an exploding shell during a battle. He claimed to have felt his soul leave his body, fly around for a bit, and then he returned. The famed author later drew upon this actual experience in his novel A Farewell to Arms.

Many others told of going through a long dark tunnel and seeing a bright light at the other end that they knew was a divine being. They spoke of seeing a review of their entire lives and knowing that they were being given a second chance to return to their former lives. This feature further revealed a study that the producers claimed had been done by scientists involving terminal patients. These dying people were said to have been placed on a special bed attached to a sensitive scale. Doctors determined that in each case there was a loss of a few ounces at the exact moment of death. The doctors were said to have wondered if that could possibly have been the soul leaving the body.